


the best kind of irony

by ayuminb



Series: Modern!AU Adventures [4]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: (a little bit too well), (a little), (they try to drive Ned crazy - it works), Alternate Universe - 2000s, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern Westeros, Background Relationships - Ned/Catelyn, Catching of Feels, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Idiots in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 05:30:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13000866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayuminb/pseuds/ayuminb
Summary: but of course, of course Robert Baratheon would be the one to sweep her off her feet.





	the best kind of irony

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bythunder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bythunder/gifts).



> who requested: Robert and Ned are roommates and Robert keeps hitting on Lyanna to get on Ned’s nerves. Lyanna suggests they pretend to date to really drive Ned crazy, and whoops feelings happened??

It’s Ned’s fault, kinda.

 

And _not_ because he brought Robert Baratheon into their lives – Lyanna had been fifteen when that happened, Robert had been twenty. Ned had invited him over for Christmas during his first year of college and that had been _it_. She remembers coming down the stairs to find this huge guy standing next to her family— _he was taller that her father_ —remembers the bright smile he gave her as he ruffled her hair and called her kid. _Kid_. Remembers the indignation, and the urge to kick his leg which she smothered only because her parents were right _there_. The mild shock when his response to Benjen’s “is he another of Ned’s strays?” had been a hearty laugh and a double thumbs-up.

 

After that, she’d seen him only a handful of times, and each had been a repeat of the last – except the third time, when they’ve been alone with only Ned as a witness and she _had_ kicked him in the shin and told him to never ruffle her hair like a child again.

 

He’d laughed then, too.

 

Then she’d gone to college, then she’d stumbled upon him and Ned at a party, then they’d become a regular fixture in each other’s lives; he’d begun his flirting game in a successful attempt to get on Ned’s nerves, and she’d gone back and forth between indulging him and rebuffing him.

 

All, really, in good fun.

 

Until Ned decides to get involved.

 

*****

 

Lyanna storms into the ridiculously large kitchen, the host’s name unknown to her, ready to snap at anyone who’d stop her from getting a drink. Catelyn, though, who appears as if summoned to hand her a beer, blessedly saves the unsuspecting victims.

 

“Looks like you need it,” it’s all she says, with a smile, and Lyanna might just love her for it.

 

She takes several gulps before smiling back. “If my brother doesn’t marry you, I will.”

 

Catelyn laughs, shakes her head; and while she is joking, Lyanna does hope her brother ends up popping the question to her sometime in the future. They were truly perfect for each other.

 

“Who awoke the wolf?”

 

Amazing, how perceptive she is; Lyanna shrugs, not really knowing if she should tell because she doesn’t want to make her have to keep a secret from Ned.

 

“Stupid boys,” she settles for vague.

 

“Robert?”

 

“Robert is not a boy,” and it takes her only a second to realize what she’s said.

 

Catelyn arches an eyebrow, goes to say something, but she’s— _bless the Gods_ —interrupted by the man in question, and Ned. Her brother walks straight up to his girlfriend, gentle smile on his face, a places a kiss to her forehead. He then turns a disapproving frown on her, eyeing the bottle in her hand; and it’s petty, but Lyanna salutes him with it, before taking another sip.

 

“Lya, you’re not—”

 

“I’ll be twenty-one in a few weeks.”

 

When Robert comes to stand next to her, his own beer in hand, looking entirely too amused by all of it, Ned gives him a warning frown, and the echo of his words ring in her head— _this has to stop, Robert_. Maybe, she should just tell her brother to stop meddling in her life. Oh, she knows Ned means well, as Brandon and Benjen did, but enough is enough. All because of one stupid mistake, she’s tempted to roll her eyes. No, this had to _stop_.

 

Lyanna smirks, then, finishes what’s left of her beer, and grabs a fistful of Robert’s shirt. “I’ve need of you, Bobby,” she says, and drags him away.

 

The sound of her brother choking on his beer is almost sweet enough for her to consider her revenge done.

 

Almost.

 

*****

 

As soon as she locks the door to whomever room this is, Robert has her pinned to the door.

 

“Y’know you gotta be dating me for at least a week to start dropping pet names, _Lya_.”

 

She scoffs, pushes her splayed hand against his face to move him away and walks towards the bed, sitting down on it. “Please, you don’t know the rules of pet naming, _Bobby_ ; you’ve never had a girlfriend.”

 

“That’s only because I want you to be my _first_ ,” he saunters over her, dropping onto the bed at her side, and gives her his most charming smile. “So, Lya, will you explain or should I start making assumptions?”

 

“Depends, are those assumptions scenarios where we drive my dear brother up the wall together?”

 

That makes him pause, because there’s only one thing that he knows of that drives Ned absolutely crazy without fail, and that is the very reason why she’s made a hasty plan for revenge. She can pinpoint the exact moment he realizes what’s going on, a look of genuine curiosity falling over his face.

 

“What are you plotting, Stark?”

 

Lyanna smirks, again, grabs his shirt and pulls him closer. “Robert, would you be my fake boyfriend?”

 

*****

 

They start simple – well, she _tells_ him to start simple, go slow. But of course it fails. Robert is not one for simple displays; go big or go home.

 

Which is why, on the agreed moment to reveal their “relationship”, aka the birthday party her brothers planned for her – Robert goes big. He saunters into the club they’re renting, gigantic teddy bear in one arm, and makes a beeline for her.

 

 _Wait no, that’s a stuffed wolf_. She has to resist the urge to laugh; of course he’d get her a wolf. This is not going slow, Robert. Still she braces herself for what could happen; a kiss, most likely, and one she has to make good if there’s any hope of fooling Ned. He’s seeing his best friend kissing enough girls to know when he’s faking it.

 

Except, _wow_ , she doesn’t really need to – Robert sweeps her off her feet, literally, with one arm and gives her a toe-curling kiss. One that has her eyes closing and her arms wrapping around his broad shoulders even before she can process what just happened, wits scattering into the night, it seems. All too soon, and not soon enough, he pulls back; Lyanna’s immensely glad for the blaring music because she cannot stop the needy whine that escapes when their lips break contact.

 

_Fuck. What the fuck?_

 

Robert grins, bumps their foreheads together, and whispers, “that good for a start?”

 

 _That good, period_. But she is not going to say that – lest of all to Robert Baratheon. She’s saved from actually having to answer by her brothers, who move closer amidst the cheering group surrounding her.

 

_Oh, right. Club, people; it’s my birthday._

 

Brandon gives them a look, one she returns and Robert replies by grinning back; her brother huffs, crosses his arms. “Look, Baratheon, we love you and all that shit, but this is not okay. You can’t fool around with our sister.”

 

“I’m not,” says Robert, and finally sets her back to her feet. “This is serious.”

 

“We’re dating,” she says, wits gathered at last.

 

“Lya—”

 

“It’s true, Ned,” his hand feels heavy and hot on her waist, “I asked her to be my girlfriend a few weeks ago.”

 

“Weeks.”

 

It’s the deadpan tone – Lyanna bites her bottom lip to prevent the grin threatening to break free, knowing it would give her away. But just _this_ , biting her lip in silence and affecting a nervous demeanor, this should work wonders. Having to navigate life with three brothers definitely had its perks.

 

“We knew you wouldn’t be exactly thrilled with this, that’s why we didn’t say anything,” she tucks herself into Robert’s side, arms wrapping around his waist and eyes wide in worry. “I’m sorry, Ned, please don’t be mad.”

 

He sighs, as do Brandon and Benjen. _Success_ , she smiles tentatively, and of the people actually interested in such display, only Catelyn seems curious enough about all this to send her a questioning look. Definitely too perceptive, that one. Ned too, he looks dubious of it all, even if Brandon and Benjen are quick to accept the new status quo and deliver their standard threats – she rolls her eyes because, _really_ , it’s unnecessary.

 

Not that they know it, _so_ , she’ll keep her silence.

 

Robert takes it all well, obviously, probably too well if this were real; he knows her brothers are capable of delivering any threat they make, _even_ Ned, who’s probably the biggest pacifist on Westeros. _But it’s not real_ , it’s what she thinks as she makes excuses to go put her present in the car and takes her new boyfriend away with her.

 

“How’d you get here?” He asks as they reach the parking lot, stopping her from moving any further.

 

“Brandon; I have his keys,” she takes out the aforementioned keys to jiggle them in front of his face.

 

“Okay,” he grins, pushes her hand down and then starts leading her to his truck, “that’s nice, but you’re leaving with me tonight.”

 

She stops once the reach the passenger’s side, crosses her arms over her chest and glares at him. “Excuse me?”

 

“What’s wrong, babe?” how he manages to look entirely too innocent and confused _eludes_ her; but Lyanna thinks he might deserve another kick in his shin if he keeps that up. “Got tired of your loving boyfriend already?”

 

Ah, alright, now she can see where he’s going with this.

 

“Is it really necessary?”

 

Robert places her gift back in his truck, closes the passenger’s door, and then proceeds to pin her to it. “Yes, and here’s why,” he leans in closer. “Ned knows I’ve no compunctions about a little PDA, but that’s not _you_. If we only put up a show when he’s around, he’ll suspect something and your little plan for revenge—which, by the way, still baffles me—will come crashing down.”

 

Huh. Well she hadn’t thought of _that_. “Alright, but—” she never gets to finish that sentence, as Robert dives in for another toe-curling kiss that she may allow for longer that is necessary before pushing him back “—what are you doing?”

 

The smirk on his face tells her all she needs to know he’s considering the obvious joke, instead he goes to nuzzle her neck. “Trying to make this believable.”

 

“Ned’s not around.”

 

“Mm,” he hums, nudges her chin until she turns her head to the side, thinking it’s to give him better access—and she probably shouldn’t get _too_ into this, “you think no one will go running back to him with gossip, love?”

 

Out of the corner of her eye, there’s a flash of red; it takes only a minute tilt to catch a solid glimpse of a vaguely familiar car, and an even more familiar redhead standing close to an unassuming man – oh, Catelyn’s sister. She lets her arms wrap around him, turns her head back and catches his lips – this time shocking the air out of _his_ lungs with the eagerness of it.

 

Believable; she can make this _believable_.

 

*****

 

She supposes she should’ve had a timeframe in mind when she came up with her plan – but, a few weeks _later_ , Lyanna can’t seem to find it in herself to really care.

 

Oh, there are times where she’s close to confess it all, if only to put dear Ned out of his misery. But then he’d get all _disapproving_ , frowning for hours whenever he’d stumble upon she and Robert kissing and she’d remember the conversation she’d overheard. So, _no_. She won’t stop until he stops meddling in her life – as Brandon and Benjen already had, which made Ned’s reticence all the more irritating.

 

Perhaps her constant presence in their apartment isn’t the best, as her brother has nowhere but his room to escape, but she figures – the sooner he gets used to it, the sooner he just accepts the fact that she’s not that stupid little girl that needed her big brothers to spell out the deceit for her, the better.

 

_Ugh, don’t think about that now._

 

She tears her gaze away from her homework; math’s never been her forte and she always ends up coming to her brothers for help. Since starting college in The Vale, that’s just Ned, as Brandon had decided to go to Dorne and only ever leaves the sunny city for birthdays and the occasional holiday, and Benjen decided to stay North, closer to Winterfell. Now, though, Ned’s not home, and Robert is actually the one explaining things to her.

 

“You seem lost, love,” he grins, “when did it start going over your head?”

 

“About an hour ago?”

 

The laugh bubbles over the moment he flicks her nose in mock reproach; they pack up her books because, really, no more homework will be done now that her focus slipped and they both know it.

 

“Want something to eat?”

 

It’s nothing on his part, _honest_ , nothing he does or says, and somehow she gets this urge to crawl onto his lap and _kiss_ _him_. It’s because he’s a good kisser, she thinks, the best kisser. Of all the men she’s kissed, which admittedly aren’t that much, Robert seems to be the only one capable of leaving her in a near mindless state.

 

Which is a good thing, she decides. Less effort on that front to make this convincing.

 

Robert still waits for an answer, so she gives him a cheeky grin and turns to lean back onto the couch, letting her bare feet fall onto his lap. “You know, Bobby, I think I do,” she says, stroking his thighs with the sole of her feet.

 

His laugher is explosive, as it always is when it comes deep from within his belly. “I meant food, love,” he manages to say, moving her legs aside so he can stand up – but then he stops, dives in on her, until he’s got her trapped against the cushions, bodies only barely touching. “Though if you eat all your vegetables, I might let you have me for dessert.”

 

Then he’s walking away; intrigued, Lyanna follows.

 

“You mean, Ned wasn’t joking when he said you could cook?”

 

“Nope.”

 

She grins, hopping onto the counter at his side. “Robert Baratheon, are you going all out on me?”

 

The light peck on her lips is definitely unconscious. “Go big or go home; that’s my motto.”

 

*****

 

At times Lyanna wonders about her enthusiasm – is quick to rationalize it’s because of a sixth sense attuned to Ned that she’s all too willing to crawl onto Robert’s lap and kiss him for all she’s worth. Is easy to cling to that reasoning, considering her brother has a penchant for walking in on them while they’re well into their make out sessions. And if he, _sometimes_ , walks away immediately after catching sight of them, well – she only keeps going for the sake of being thorough.

 

Other times, she _genuinely_ forgets.

 

Because, and here’s something she fails to rationalize and thus has stopped trying – the moments she enjoys the _most_ are those when they simply cuddle.

 

For all he, at times, seems to be a wall of solid muscle, Robert is surprisingly comfortable to cuddle into. Makes her feels stupidly safe when he pulls her into his arms as she leans on him while doing homework or watching a movie. Makes her forget it’s all supposed to be an act to drive her brother crazy, when said brother is not with them and Robert runs the back of his fingers up and down her arm in a soothing caress.

 

More often than not that leads to kissing, the kind that has nothing to do with putting up an act – more often than _not_ Lyanna has to spend the whole ride back to her apartment reminding herself not to lose sight of her goal. Even if said goal gets more blurry as time passes.

 

Today’s one of such days; Ned’s not around and they can’t seem to remember.

 

It’s the gentle stroking of her arms, the way he nuzzles a spot behind her ear; the movie’s lost its appeal a while ago, but Lyanna kind of likes this slow seduction of Robert. She turns and smothers the grin that pulls at his lips with a needy kiss.

 

The usual pattern breaks.

 

Her back hits the cushions with a soft thud, one of his hands slips under her hoodie— _his hoodie, it’s his hoodie_ —over the expanse of her abdomen and comes to rest under her left breast. The broken whisper of her name has her moaning and pushing her chest into his, his _hand_ really, and he wastes no more time. His hand encompasses her breast, he hisses upon feeling bare skin, kneading it a little bit too enthusiastically, but that’s okay because it feels _good_.

 

And then the thought of needing more – Lyanna parts her legs so Robert can accommodate his weight on her better, and Gods but that, his hips pressing down on hers, that feels _wonderful_. All it takes is his name falling from her lips in a whisper for him to snap; tear his mouth away from her own and zero in on her chest.

 

She thinks she might explode.

 

“ _Robert!_ ”

 

Until an angry hiss falls over them like a bucket of cold water.

 

Robert is quick to sit up, bringing her along with him, and it’s then that she realizes they’re both naked from the waist up, jeans unbuttoned – and when did that happen?

 

“Hey, Ned,” how he _manages_ to sound normal, she’ll never know.

 

Lyanna takes the hoodie being offered to her, and hastens to pull it on; realizing later that it’s not the one she’d been wearing to begin with. “Hey, Ned,” she chirps, a beaming smile on her face as she finally untangles from Robert, “what’s up, bro?”

 

Ned glares at them, hands lifting to rub at his temples; next to him, Catelyn looks torn between surprise and amusement.

 

“I thought we agreed the common areas of the apartment were to be _sacred grounds_ ,” her brother growls, “so I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to _defile_ my little sister on our couch.”

 

“Honest mistake, I promise,” says Robert, and really, he’s right.

 

Very briefly, she considers joking about him being a cockblocker, but Lyanna thinks that might be going a bit too far right now.

 

“I’m sorry, Ned, we just got carried away.”

 

He grumbles under his breath; Catelyn is definitely amused by everything, but she still manages to look understanding when approaching Ned to whisper something in his ear. Her brother sighs, almost in resignation.

 

“Just tell them,” says Catelyn, and steps back.

 

“Okay, okay,” he sighs again, “I’m… fine with you two being together. I’ve been fine with it for a while now, so can you just – not put up a show when I’m around?”

 

The words spill long before she can process them. “We don’t put up a show for _you_ ; you just have the worst timing, Ned. We just cuddle when you’re around, share small kisses at most.”

 

“Why not just lock yourselves up in his room?”

 

“Didn’t seem appropriate,” Robert shrugs. “She’s still your little sister, Ned, I wasn’t going to take her into my room until you were comfortable with our relationship.”

 

Catelyn smiles, impressed. “That’s surprisingly thoughtful of you, Robert.”

 

“Yeah,” and this time, the joke slips before she can’t stop it, “I think I might even drag you to your room now, finish what we started.”

 

Beating a hasty retreat, Ned gives them his blessing while dragging a giggling Catelyn to his own room.

 

*****

 

Sometime after Ned’s given them their blessing, long after the plan should’ve been ended as a success – Lyanna hadn’t thought of stopping. But she decides to tell Robert why she planned all this.

 

“Did I tell you why I’m so set on this little plan of mine?”

 

They’re lounging on his bed, as is their usual thing whenever Ned is in the apartment. Her brother’s preparing for a big exam, so they keep their voices quiet – her brother is right down the hall so Lyanna tries not to let herself get carried away when Robert kisses her, but it’s so goddamned _hard_.

 

So, better get busy _talking_.

 

“Not really, you just said you wanted to drive him up the wall. Never said why, ” he says, as his fingers draw random patterns on the skin of her belly, her hoodie having rode up during their last make out session that’s _definitely_ justified.

 

So, Lyanna talks about a summer, five years ago, when she thought joining a book club might help pass the spare time back in Winterfell. She’d never talked about it, not with anyone outside her family, so this – _this_ is a first.

 

“I met this guy there, I knew he was older than me – I didn’t ask how much, I didn’t really _care_ ,” a pause, she takes a fortifying breath, “I was sixteen years old, of course I wouldn’t care if a handsome and charming man started hitting on me.”

 

It’s not the memory of the man what makes her stop so she can control the urge to cry, it’s never that. It’s only ever her stupidity—it’s the disaster her naiveté could’ve caused.

 

“Hey…”

 

“It didn’t even bother me that he refused to tell me his age, I knew he was hiding something, so I just assumed it was that,” she looks at Robert, “I never thought he’d lied about his name, that he was _married_ …”

 

“Hey, it’s not your fault this guy decided to prey on a teenage girl; you were a kid, Lya.”

 

“By the end of that summer I was ready to run away with him,” she laughs, because the alternative is crying in frustration – thinking about that one time always left her in anguish. “The guy was married, had two kids, and I was foolish enough to fall into his trap and want run away with him.”

 

“But you didn’t, in the end you didn’t and that’s all it matters.”

 

“Because of Ned.”

 

Dear Ned had found out the truth, had taken her to see it with her own two eyes in an impromptu trip to King’s Landing – that’s where the man truly lived.

 

Lyanna knows how Ned had gotten the necessary information, she just isn’t sure Robert is aware of it. Of what he’d unleashed, exactly.

 

“Did Ned ever told you why he asked for Rhaegar Targaryen's address?”

 

That’s all it takes for Robert to understand, and how could he _not_? He hisses, eyes closing, jaw clenching and Lyanna can tell – he’s so angry. How could he not be? Rhaegar Targaryen is his second cousin; they were family.

 

“That lying, son of a bitch,” he growls menacingly, and suddenly she’s glad she never mentioned just how much in love she thought she’d been back then.

 

She cups his cheek and brings his lips to hers, tries to make him forget – this is one thing Lyanna won’t let Rhaegar Targaryen ruin for her. Not after nearly ruining the relationship she had with her family.

 

He breaks the kiss after a while, before getting carried away. “That doesn’t explain why you need to get revenge on Ned.”

 

“I suppose it’s not so much revenge as it is having a little fun at his expense, and showing him I’m not a stupid little girl anymore.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“I did a lot of stupid shit that summer – lying to my parents, to Ned and Brandon and Benjen… that had to be the worse. And that cost me; what I almost did in following Rhaegar around like a lost puppy cost me all the trust I shared with my family,” she lets him pull her into his arms, lay them both down onto the pillows. “Brandon stopped meddling in my love life the moment I came here for college, Benjen too. Not Ned; he still feels the need to intervene in everything.”

 

There’d been her high school boyfriend, Ethan Glover, after the disaster that was Rhaegar Targaryen; sweet and caring but a boy still. He’d been a year older, but Lyanna could not see past his immaturity – could not let herself go enough to fully commit. _I’m only a teen_ , she remembers thinking back then, about to go to college and she hadn’t wanted to tie herself to a boy.

 

Then, there had been Arthur Dayne, a summer fling she’d had when they’d all gone to Dorne to visit Brandon. The very _attractive_ , very charming older brother of Ashara, Brandon’s girlfriend. Lyanna had been eighteen then – she’d given him her virginity too, and still, by the end of that summer, she’d only given him a kiss and said goodbye.

 

And Jaime Lannister; a one-night stand she’d had last year, one she’s still deciding whether she should regret or remember fondly.

 

Ned had had something to say about every relationship and date she’s had since Rhaegar Targaryen, insisting that she needs to figure herself out before committing. _But I don’t want to commit_ , she thinks now, still. _I don’t have to commit yet, there’s time_.

 

_How much time, Lya?_

 

“Have you talked with Ned, love? About how you feel with his meddling?”

 

 _Love_. Robert’s always calling her that now. Since when? Suddenly she can’t seem to remember – back when all they did was flirt back and forth? Probably. _And it doesn’t bother me, why doesn’t it bother me?_

 

She shakes her head, both to answer his question and disperse her thoughts.

 

“You should,” he cups her face gently, sweeping his thumbs over her cheeks. “Talk to him; this situation must be hard on him too.”

 

“I should,” she says.

 

And because she doesn’t want to keep talking, pushes him back onto the pillows so they can focus on something else.

 

_*_

 

Months later, she’s done with finals and classes and it’s getting ready for her trip to Winterfell with Ned and Catelyn. This would be the third Christmas Catelyn spends with the Starks; the first where they’re all going to be there in years too. Brandon had called to say he would drive there, make it a week-long trip with his new girlfriend, instead of flying as he usually did. Benjen is the only Stark kid home already.

 

News of her _relationship_ with Robert had, of course, traveled fast and reached her parents’ ears. So her mom had, of course, asked whether she’d bring him over; not even her excuse of it being only a few months of dating would dissuade her. As it is, Robert had fixed that for her, picking up her phone and regrettably saying he couldn’t miss Christmas with his family this year, and maybe the next.

 

That reminds her, _painfully_ , of what this relationship is about.

 

Months later, she’s not talked with Ned yet, has not thought about what to do. Does not want to – Lyanna thinks she doesn’t really have to, I’m happy with how things are right now. Still, no amount of reasoning keeps at bay the anxiousness, the sudden sense that she needs to make a clean break.

 

A break from what? She doesn’t want to think about it.

 

It’s why she goes out with her classmates, the night before they’re supposed to head out to Winterfell. To get drunk – forget for a while. Forget what? Still, it doesn’t work. Half-way in through the night, she’s tired of the occasional man hitting on her and her classmates asking why she’s turning them all away.

 

She’s tired of repeating, over and over, that she has a boyfriend.

 

_(Because then, she has to stop and say, if only to herself, that no—no, she does not have a boyfriend.)_

 

It’s only natural, then, that she goes straight to Ned’s and Robert’s apartment. Only natural that she would spill her guts the moment her brother opens the door, never mind who else might hear.

 

Few things will stand out from this night; most will be hazy at _best_ , but aside from the obvious—her drunkenness, Ned’s shock and then _anger_ , the way the room started to spin—there’s one thing that burns itself into her mind.

 

Robert – calm and collected, as he leans against the doorframe leading to his room. Solemn, as he answers Ned’s questions as they come.

 

And sad – so goddamned sad.

 

*****

 

Come morning, her drunken outburst isn’t looking so great. Lyanna sports a massive hangover and the trip to Winterfell is threatening to be an awkward one.

 

She can’t even meet her brother’s eyes, not to mention Robert’s. _This is probably the most selfish thing you’ve done_ , she think, parrots Ned’s words to her the night before. The most stupid as well.

 

Robert is good, about it all; he grins at her, drops a kiss to her head and wishes her a happy holiday. And she stomps, stomps, _stomps_ down the urge to take it all back, to hug him close and—and what? What is it she wants to do, exactly?

 

“We had a good run, you and I.”

 

He probably means _nothing_ by it, jokes; but Lyanna still feels like replying that there’s no need for this _run_ to end. But by the time she’s gathered enough nerve to say it, Robert had already climbed into his truck and drove away.

 

“Let’s go, Lya, we still need to pick up Cat.”

 

*****

 

The tension – the family picks it up.

 

She gets away with saying it’s college, a stressful semester. That it’ll be better soon, she just needs a few days to unwind. They’ve no reason to disbelieve her.

 

Of course, Ned doesn’t let her have time; her brother always needs to make things right as soon as humanly possible. Of course, he wouldn’t just let her go ignoring this. “Lya…”

 

“No need to come state the obvious again.”

 

Ned sighs, leads her to their backyard, where they sit on the swings. “Was it all you said true, then? You roped Robert into this so you could drive me up the wall?”

 

“A little – mostly,” she sighs, guilt pressing on her shoulders. “I suppose I saw that as a convenient side-effect… I just wanted you to…”

 

“You could’ve just talked to me, Lya.”

 

“I guess…”

 

“And now you’ve dragged Robert into it.”

 

She frowns. “I didn’t _drag_ him; I asked and he agreed.”

 

“Of course he would,” Ned lets out a humorless laugh; a heavy feeling settles in the pit of her stomach. “Lya, what you overheard…”

 

“What?”

 

He sighs. “I wasn’t telling Robert to stop his games because of _you_. It was never because of you, Lya.”

 

She can’t explain it, the chill that runs down her spine. “Oh?”

 

“Robert—he might’ve been a womanizer,” he pauses, turns his head to give her a solemn look, “but that’s because he’s never been in love. Not _truly_. Lya, he’s been falling for you, ever since he saw you again at The Vale. I don’t think he even realized it until you started playing your little charade. I know Robert, he’s my _best_ _friend_.”

 

Lyanna can’t hold his gaze for much longer, her eyes move away quickly, focusing on their house. Through the kitchen’s window, she can see her mother and Catelyn talking and bonding as they prepared a quick dinner.

 

Ned keeps talking. “I didn’t want him to get hurt, I don’t,” and then he grabs her hand, urges her to look back at him. “You’re my sister, and I love you. But I can’t let you hurt him like that.”

 

“I never meant—”

 

Her eyes swim with unshed tears, she can’t remember the last time she’d cried; bites her lip to stop herself from it, she can’t—can’t cry over this. Her brother pulls her into a one-armed hug that nearly breaks her resolve.

 

“—I know. Believe me, Lya, I know.”

 

*****

 

For the most part, she’s able to put all troubles in the back of her mind. Lyanna is surprisingly good at compartmentalizing, so she can actually enjoy her winter break – and Christmas.

 

For the most part.

 

Sometimes things force their way to the forefront of her mind. Demand attention.

 

“Here,” so it’s a blessing Ned wait for her to be alone in her room to hand over a present, “from Robert.”

 

And it’s a smaller version of the giant stuffed wolf he gave her for her birthday months ago, the one he’d kept at the apartment because she couldn’t keep it in her dorm. The one she’d called Bobby just because—and tried not to be sad at the thought of leaving him here, at home, when they were to drive back to The Vale.

 

“Oh…”

 

There’s a note, Robert’s scrawl shouldn’t surprise her as much as it’s does. _Someone you can take with you when you get back to your dorm; named it Bobby Jr_. Then comes a bunch of smiley faces.

 

And then she can’t ignore it anymore.

 

*****

 

A few scarce days before New Year’s, Lyanna sits in front of the Christmas tree, watches the lights dance around her. And somehow, when a steaming mug of chocolate appear before her, she’s not surprised to see a smiling Catelyn staring down at her.

 

“Looks like you need it,” it’s all she says.

 

Lyanna smiles, accepts the mug gladly. “I mean it, Cat, if my brother doesn’t marry you, I will.”

 

“If it comes to that, I’d be honored.”

 

They spend the next few minutes in silence, sipping their hot chocolate. She’s told her parents that this, what troubles her, is hers to fix. They worry, of course they do – but really, there’s nothing they can do. Not really.

 

“Can I ask you something, Cat?”

 

“Of course.”

 

They talk in whispers; Lyanna, at least, doesn’t want to break the calm surrounding her.

 

“Why do you take Ned’s shirts for yourself?” It’s a random question, admittedly, and one she doesn’t really lets Catelyn answer. “Is it because they make you feel stupidly safe? Like you’re constantly wrapped up in his arms? I mean,” and maybe, just maybe, her laugh breaks a little, “it’s _ridiculous_ because – because you wear them and they practically swallow you, they’re so _big_.”

 

Her mug hits the carpet and it’s luck, _only_ , that it doesn’t topple over and spill what remain of her hot chocolate. Lyanna doesn’t care though, pulling her knees up so she can wrap her arms around them – as an afterthought, she also pulls the hood of her hoodie over her head.

 

“What’s the _point_?”

 

Her eyes focus on Bobby Jr., cute little thing she’s not managed to put down since Christmas. Thinks of its bigger brother, thinks of the _note_. And suddenly, her eyes are swimming with tears.

 

“Lya…”

 

“What’s the point of taking his clothes,” she says, voice wavering, as she tugs on the sleeves of her hoodie that’s not her hoodie, “if they don’t smell like _him_ anymore? It’s just a stupid oversized hoodie then, nothing _else_!”

 

Her sobs get stuck in her throat and she won’t, won’t, _won’t_ let them out.

 

“Maybe,” Catelyn begins, gently, wrapping an arm around her, “you should be telling Robert all of this.”

 

Probably, _definitely_ , Catelyn doesn’t mean right now. But she’s someone who needs to act, much like her brother Brandon – it’s what always gets her in trouble, true, it’s what got her into this mess. _True_.

 

But suddenly, it doesn’t feel like she’s rushing into anything new and uncertain and dangerous—for the first time in her life, Lyanna Stark can honestly say, she’s rushing to what feels like home.

 

*****

 

_“If you could go back in time—”_

_“What time?”_

_“—Bobby, let me finish the question.”_

_“Right.”_

_“If you could go back in time, to medieval Westeros, and be Robert Baratheon, Lord of Storm’s End – would you change the sigil of your house?”_

_“Would you be the Lady of Storm’s End?”_

_“Robert.”_

_“That’s a yes?”_

_“Robert!”_

_“I wouldn’t change it. I like the one we have – tis fierce.”_

_“It’s a stag.”_

_“A fierce stag.”_

_“It’s prey.”_

_“Says who?”_

_“The snarling direwolf that’s about to eat him.”_

_“Oh, really?”_

_“Yeah, really.”_

_“Bring it on, She-Wolf.”_

 

*****

 

“Here we are, Lya – Storm’s End.”

 

The Baratheons’ house was probably as big as theirs, only more Southern in style. Like Winterfell, it also rested, like the rest of the town, on the site where the old castle used to stand. Like many others – of all the great castles that once belonged to the oldest families of Westeros, only Casterly Rock and Highgarden remained.

 

As monuments, of course.

 

Lyanna takes a deep breath, and gets out of the car. "Thanks, bro."

 

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait?“

 

"Yes, Eddard," and then, with a smile, "I'm sure."

 

“Call me… after. No matter the outcome,” her brother smiles at her then, encouraging, “good luck.”

 

And then he drives off.

 

 _Good luck_ , he says. Will she need it? She won’t tempt fate by saying no, but won’t let whatever’s about to happen depends solely on it. No, it’ll be on her.

 

And Robert.

 

She takes her cellphone out of her pocket, quickly looking up her contact list, until she lands on the one she wants. Then, just as quickly, starts typing her message.

 

Hits send.

 

_[u home?]_

 

A few minutes later, she gets her answer:

 

_[yeah?]_

 

_[can u come out?]_

 

There’s no reply; but as she rocks back and forth on her feet, the front door opens and there he is, pulling a knitted hat over his head. She has to smirk, as he trots down the walkway, because he’s all bundled up. Parka zipped up, the knitted hat, and even a pair of gloves, and boots. If she had to guess, Lyanna would say there were at least three more layers of clothing under the parka.

 

And it was only _barely_ snowing here.

 

Which is why she’s only wearing her _(his)_ hoodie, and an unzipped parka. No hat, no gloves, just boots and her faded jeans.

 

He huffs as he comes to a stop in front of her, frowning. “You Starks really have ice in your veins?”

 

She smirks wider. “Not ice, just Winter.”

 

“Same thing,”

 

A beat; they remain silent. And then:

 

“I came to thank you, for the present.”

 

Robert lifts an eyebrow. “Bobby Jr.? You could’ve called, or waited till after the holidays.”

 

“It had to be now.”

 

She says no more. His expression turns contemplative; the snow keeps drifting down and one little snowflake lands on her nose – Robert leans down, swipes it off, and then straightens up.

 

He smirks. “Y’know this would make more of an impact if it were heavily raining – it’d be more dramatic,  unlike this... snow.”

 

Lyanna rolls her eyes, punches his arm hard. “But then I’d look like a drowned cat.”

 

“You’d make a cute drowned cat,” he shrugs, flashes her a smile. “So… other than thank me, you came to return my hoodies?”

 

“Actually… I came to formally ask permission to keep stealing them.”

 

It’s probably the lack of playfulness in her tone that makes him hold back on his teasing. So, she proceeds.

 

“…Robert, would you be my real boyfriend?”

 

It takes him by surprise, that’s for sure. So much so, he has to avert his eyes skywards for a moment before answering. “Depends,” and he tries to sound lighthearted, just – can’t quite manage it. “Are you asking so we can drive your brother up the wall together?”

 

She shakes her head, smile tugging at her lips; she motions him to lean down so she can wrap her arms around his shoulders and bump their foreheads together. “I’m asking because—”

 

A pause, for emphasis.

 

“—I think… I kinda love you.”

 

He blinks, _slow_ , almost disbelieving, and then he _smiles_ ; toothy grin that makes his eyes shine bright and, oh, but Lyanna thinks her heart might have just skipped several dozens of beats.

 

“Guess I have no choice, then—”

 

Robert presses a light kiss to her lips, straightens up, bringing her along with him, up and off her feet. _Figures_ – of course, he’d be the one to sweep her off her feet.

 

“—‘cause I think I kinda love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow us in [All the Wolves Have Antlers](https://allthewolveshaveantlers.tumblr.com/)


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